Portable playing surface

ABSTRACT

The legless, portable playing surface flips for double-sided play, and includes one or more handles for added portability. The playing surface is sized for space-saving storage when not in use, but large enough to create ample play opportunities.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This patent application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/780,967 filed on Dec. 18, 2018, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to playing surfaces.

BACKGROUND

Children often use a table or the floor for play activities like painting, drawing, crafts, puzzles, and various other activities. Although the floor may be more convenient, floor surfaces are frequently unsuitable for certain projects, for example building blocks or racing cars, because of carpeting and padding. The kitchen or family table may be used to acquire the needed surface area, but such tables are often needed for other purposes, which interrupts play.

Dedicated playing surfaces are available, but they often are cumbersome and difficult to store, or lack portability, among other drawbacks. In many apartments and smaller homes, every square foot has a dedicated purpose, and having a play table in a crowded room is not feasible or a high priority. Additionally, children often like to transport their favorite toys and playthings with them, and large tables, play mats or other surfaces are not portable or suitable enough to be used for this purpose.

SUMMARY

In accordance with one embodiment, the present embodiment relates to a playing surface. Specifically, one embodiment having one or more handles, dual playing surfaces, and molded features to aid in the play of many child activities. The molded features assist in play by providing a space to facilitate imaginative games, follow trucks, cars or trains along a track or road, to sort and group objects, and to store items, among other uses. The low profile play platform can be used on a table or the floor and be stowed away under furniture with activity still intact when the child is finished with the play session. The light-weight playing surface can also be moved to different rooms or taken on a journey using the handle or handles provided.

There are several possible embodiments of this play table. One is a racing surface for a motocross type track; a second is a surface designed as a train track; another is a construction site; yet another embodiment is a playing surface for building structures such as with blocks; and another is a city road for playing with cars. Other embodiments and variations are possible and all are not mentioned in this summary.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following figures are included to illustrate certain aspects of the present disclosure, and should not be viewed as exclusive embodiments. The subject matter disclosed is capable of considerable modifications, alterations, combinations, and equivalents in form and function, as will occur to one of ordinary skill in the art and having the benefit of this disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the playing surface.

FIG. 2 is a view of the first play side of the playing surface.

FIG. 3 is a view of the second play side of the playing surface.

FIG. 4 is a view of one thickness of the playing surface.

FIG. 5 is a view of a second thickness of the playing surface.

FIG. 6 illustrates the carrying handle of the playing surface.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the playing surface in use.

FIG. 8 illustrates features of the first play side of the playing surface.

FIG. 9 illustrates features of the second play side of the playing surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure relates to playing surfaces and, more specifically, to a low-assembly, portable playing surface with a compact design, but ample play space.

As discussed above, there is a demand for playing surfaces that allow children to have a dedicated surface for their activities, stores in a small space, and is portable. Presently disclosed is a playing surface with molded surface features to facilitate imaginative play, that is easily transported by children, and that hides away unobtrusively when not in play.

The playing surface is largely planar, or is comprised of a generally planar member, that is the dimension in one plane is substantially greater than the dimension in the direction perpendicular to that plane. The playing surface may be legless, or the surface may be supported by molded features, end panels, or the like protruding from one or more play sides which serve to support the planar surface.

The playing surface may be constructed of one or more pieces of lightweight, rigid material, e.g., plastic. In some embodiments, the material out of which the playing surface is constructed is durable, such as a double walled plastic. In some embodiments, the surface is blow molded, injection molded and/or rotationally molded.

The playing surface 100, shown in FIG. 1, consists of a first 110 and second 120 play side, depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3. The legless, flat or planar, rectangular, oval, or irregularly shaped platform has the first and second play sides as the primary playing surfaces. The playing surface also has a thickness. In embodiments that are largely rectangular, the playing surface has thicknesses that may serve as a short side 140, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The short side may be between about 2 inches to about 8 inches, or about 3 inches to about 6 inches, or about 4 inches. The short side may be about 4 inches, plus or minus 15% of the width of thickness of the short side, or plus or minus 10% of the width of the thickness of the short side, or plus or minus about 5% of the width of the thickness of the short side. Molded into, attached or otherwise affixed to the playing surface are one or more carrying handles 150, as shown in FIG. 6.

In some embodiments, the playing surface features molded features 160. Children may interact with the molded surface of the first or second play side, as depicted in FIG. 7. Alternatively or in addition, certain features may require completion by the use of external components, such as bridges, towers, buildings, and other augmentations, which may be placed on the surface or which may interlock or nestle into the surface.

In some embodiments and by way of example only, the first and second play sides have a plurality of recesses comprising the molded features which are sized and shaped to give the appearance of tracks and other features associated with a motocross type track. A motocross type track may also comprise a monster truck type track, a road rally type track, or any sort of race track or road track or course. Multiple track types are incorporated onto the playing surfaces. A first play side features one or more of a start ramp, winners circle, hills, valleys, puddles and other water features, curves, and mounds. A second play side provides a different configuration of the same, or may be adapted for a different sort of play vehicle, such as having train tracks that fits most wooden trains and small toy cars, such as popular wooden trains known in the art to be regularly used with small train tracks. Other playing surface themes include a construction site, a playing surface for building structures such as with blocks, or a city road for playing with cars, listed by way of example and not to be seen as limiting the scope of the playing surface invention. FIGS. 8 and 9 depict different play sides and molded features of exemplary embodiments.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention and by way of example only, the design is influenced by off-road pretend play and a desire for cross-compatibility with common toys and play vehicles.

In some embodiments, the playing surface requires little to no assembly. The low to no assembly is desirable for quick play after a gift is presented, and for adults and children with limited mobility or decreased fine motor skills. The playing surface may include stickers to add color and additional features to the playing surface. In some embodiments, the playing surface is provided with stickers that show water features, grass, finished lines, and add additional elements to the playing surface, as well as calling out features already presented on the surface. In some embodiments, the winners circle or area features trophies and/or spaces for the winning vehicles, to facilitate racing imaginative games. In some or other embodiments, stickers show different environments such as quarries, rocky or muddy areas, verdant valleys, hills and/or plains, and water features.

In some embodiments, the playing surface includes one or more handles or regions for grasping. In other embodiments, there is nothing specifically adapted to serve as a handle. The handles may be semi-circular in shape, or may be incorporated into the track or road or other design of the playing surface, be an indentation, or otherwise may be generally any other shape that facilitates easy manipulation of the playing surface. They may be attached, or molded or carved into the playing surface. The one or more handles may be configured to allow one or more children to lift and transport the playing surface unaided by adults.

The manner of using the play platform is similar to playing on any other surface. Namely, using the one or more carrying handles or pulling on another part of the playing surface, the user may pull the playing surface out from under furniture, such as a couch or bed, or wherever the playing surface has been stored. After the playing surface has been brought out of storage, the user may commence play on the floor, move the playing surface to an elevated surface such as a bed, coffee table, dining table, loft or other surface, or move the playing surface to another room, or to outside the current building. When ready to commence play, the user will find the playing surfaces adapted for imagination play; ready to facilitate building activities using blocks, such as wooden blocks or interlocking type blocks; suitable for drawing, coloring or art projects; and available for puzzles, dominoes and any other imaginative play use. The surface may also be used for activities that are not commonly considered play activities, such as for doing homework. When the user is finished playing with one play surface, the play surface may be flipped to access the other side. In some embodiments, the play surface may be adapted to be flipped by a small child unaided, for example by being light in weight and having areas and/or handles to facilitate easy manipulation. When the playing surface is no longer required, the user may remove materials from the top of the playing surface, or alternatively may leave all play-things in place, before placing the playing surface back into storage and/or sliding it under furniture. The play area is then neat and clean and activity is ready for next play session.

The playing surface is well adapted to provide for a surface with high play value that is easily stored. Additionally, in one or more embodiments the playing surface is adapted for the family on-the-go, and has good portability.

In some embodiments, the playing surface is lightweight, such as under about 10 lbs (4.5 kg), or under about 9 lbs (4 kg), or under about 8 lbs (3.6 kg), or under about 7 lbs (3.2 kg). In some embodiments, the playing surface is light enough for a small child to carry unaided, or flip unaided to access the other play side. In one embodiment, the playing surface is approximately 6.5 lbs (3 kg). In some embodiments, the playing surface has a low profile that facilitates easy storage, such as a height under about a foot (12 in or about 30 cm). In one embodiment, the playing surface is approximately 4 inches in height (10.2 cm), as described herein. In some embodiments, the playing surface is largely rectangular and sized to fit under many types of furniture, such as under a couch. In one embodiment, the playing surface is about 17.5 inches wide (about 44.4 cm) and about 35.5 inches long (about 90 cm). In some embodiments, the playing surface is suitable for all ages. In some embodiments, the playing surface is suitable or recommended for ages 3 and up.

In some embodiments, the playing surface is easy to clean, such as with, as a non-limiting example, mild soapy water. In some or other embodiments, the playing surface largely repels water, and some sections of the play side may be adapted to hold water, such as to make courses more realistic or life-like, or simply to increase the interactivity of the surface and increase enjoyment.

In some embodiments, the play surface easily slides, so that it may, for example, be stored under furniture. In some embodiments, the playing surface is adapted with felt pads or other material to aid in sliding along a smooth surface. In other embodiments, the playing surface is adapted with rubber or other material to prevent the playing surface sliding along a smooth surface. For example, non-skid materials or stickers may be added to increase friction and reduce sliding or slippage of the surface. In some embodiments, the playing surface has casters or wheels to aid in sliding the playing surface.

In some embodiments, the playing surface is one continuous surface. In other embodiments, the playing surface may be comprised of interlocking, attached or abutting parts, or may be foldable.

This invention has been described with reference to illustrative embodiments, and is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that elements or process steps from one or more embodiments described herein may be used in combination with elements or process steps from one or more other embodiments described herein, and that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments provided herein but only as set forth in the accompanying claims. Various modifications of the illustrative embodiments, as well as additional embodiments to the invention, will be apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to this description. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A playing surface comprising: a generally planar member of rigid material having a first and second play side; the first and second play side having molded features, wherein the playing surface is portable and lightweight.
 2. The playing surface of claim 1, wherein the molded features comprise train tracks.
 3. The playing surface of claim 1, wherein the molded features comprise a motocross track.
 4. The playing surface of claim 1 further comprising one or more handles.
 5. The playing surface of claim 4, wherein the one or more handles are one or more indentations in the generally planar member.
 6. The playing surface of claim 1, wherein the playing surface is constructed from a plurality of pieces.
 7. The playing surface of claim 1, wherein the playing surface is foldable.
 8. The playing surface of claim 1, wherein the first or second play side, or both, further comprise felt pads to aid in sliding against a smooth surface.
 9. The playing surface of claim 1, wherein the first or second play side, or both, further comprise rubber to prevent sliding against a smooth surface.
 10. A playing surface comprising a generally planar member of rigid material having a first and second play side and a short side; the first play side having a first set of molded features and the second play side having a second set of molded features, wherein the playing surface is portable and lightweight, and wherein the first set of molded features comprises a train track, and the second set of molded features comprises a motocross track.
 11. The playing surface of claim 10, wherein the short side has a width of about 4 inches.
 12. The playing surface of claim 10 further comprising one or more handles.
 13. The playing surface of claim 12, wherein the one or more handles are one or more indentations in the generally planar member. 